Australia has no plans to stop search for missing MH370

Australia Deputy Prime Minister Warren Truss today denied that the country together with Malaysia and China had plans to abandon the search for missing Malaysian Airlines MH370.

In a statement, his spokesman said the Australian government is cautiously optimistic about finding the aircraft, which went missing on March 8, last year, The Australian reported.

“Discussion are not under way to call off the search. Discussions are ongoing about the search,” the spokesman was quoted by the daily.

His spokesman said more than 40 per cent of the 60,000 square kilometre priority area searched so far for the plane which went missing with 239 passengers and crew..

“If, however, the plane is not found at the completion of the search, expected around May 2015, then discussions will be had between Australia, Malaysia, Indonesia and potentially others on the next steps,” the spokesman was quoted.

Earlier, Truss was quoted as saying the search for the place could not go forever.

“For many of the families onboard, they won't have closure unless they have certain knowledge that the aircraft has been located and perhaps their loved ones' remains have been recovered," Truss was quoted by Reuters.

"We clearly cannot keep searching forever, but we want to do everything that's reasonably possible to locate the aircraft."